NOTE: Our open submissions period will close on Monday, December 2, at 12pm (noon) ET and will reopen in 2025. Submissions received during our closure will not be considered, with the exception of book review pitches.

Words Without Borders publishes original translations into English of contemporary fiction, nonfiction, poetry, drama, and interviews, and related multimedia. We also publish critical essays, book reviews, and interviews written in English. We generally do not publish fiction, poetry, or drama originally written in English, and we do not consider work that has already been published in English translation. Our average word count is 2,000–2,500 words; in general, we do not accept work that exceeds 4,000 words. Please submit only one prose piece and no more than five poems at a time.

We welcome submissions in three categories: individual translations; proposals for themed features; pitches for book reviews, interviews, and essays. Submissions of individual works should include translations, brief bios of authors and translators, and information on the original publication. Proposals for features should describe the focus and provide summaries of the three to four pieces to be included, brief biographies of the authors and translator(s), and original publication information or other background of the works. Translators should confirm the availability of rights with the author or publisher before submitting. Pitches for interviews and essays should describe the focus and include a brief biography. Reviewers may pitch reviews for books with publication dates at least three months in the future. For all categories, please review back issues of the magazine before submitting. Proposals and submissions may be sent to submissions@wordswithoutborders.org. Please note the genre in which you are submitting in the subject line of your email.

Rates

Words Without Borders is proud to pay all its contributors for their work. Authors and translators are paid equal amounts for translated writing. Translators hold the copyrights to their translations. We review our payment policy every three years. Our current rates are as follows:

Poetry: $50–75 for a single poem, depending on length; rates for multiple poems are negotiated based on length

Fiction: $150/1,000 words, capped at $300

Nonfiction: $150/1000 words, capped at $300

Selection and compilation of features: $250

Interviews: $150

Book reviews: $150